Thanthonimalai Kalyana Venkatramanaswamy Consecration

From being a deserted temple in the past, devotees have been thronging the temple in large numbers

Rs. 5 crores spent on Golden Vimana and renovation works leading to the Consecration event this Wednesday

When this section featured a story on Kalyana Venkatramana Swamy temple in Thanthonimalai just under 15 years ago, there was minimal crowd at the temple with devotees visiting the temple for specific Prarthana and on select days. The forefathers of hereditary priest Harish Bhattar, now 42 and with 15 days archaka service in a month, had performed service at the temple during challenging times when Thattu Kaasu was minimal. Given the dark decades from the second half of the previous century, he had taken to MBA in Trichy and was planning to get into the corporate space when his thatha was undergoing health challenges. His appa had passed away earlier. This family scenario led him to rethink his plans to join the corporate space and about two decades ago, he decided to join the temple and continue the hereditary service that his forefathers had been performing for six generations and more.

From no income at the temple, only local devotees and minimal thattu kaasu in the not too distant past, a devotional wave has struck the temple over the last decade culminating in a grand consecration this Wednesday (Jan 28) that saw a huge devotee crowd. The poojas that take place as per Vaikanasa Agama saw Gopinathan Bhattar come all the way from Nachiyar Koil Divya Desam ahead of the consecration to decorate the deities for the event (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/08/nachiyar-koil-gopi-bhattar.html). The renovation works that started last year in Avani saw the Vimana turn Gold. The repair works, that also involved expanding the madapalli, were undertaken at a whopping cost of Rs. 5crores.

Maasi and Puratasi Brahmotsavams

Two Brahmotsavams every year - one in Maasi with Chariot procession on Magam and Theppam two days after and the other one in Puratasi with Chariot procession on Shravanam have also attracted devotee donor interest in a big way. The Chariot and temple tank too were refurbished as part of the consecration event ahead of the Theppam and Chariot procession in Maasi. Pavitrotsavam takes place in Avani. 

Street Processions

Srinivasa Perumal comes out on a procession and provides darshan on the occasion of Sankaranthi, Sri Jayanthi, Karthigai, Thai Ratha Sapthami and on the first day of Panguni and Chitrai. 

Daily Kalyan Utsavam and Thirumanjanam

Thiru Kalyana Utsavam is a special feature at this temple and takes place every evening between 4pm and 5.30pm. There is also a Thirumanjanam every day for the Moolavar.

Majestic Standing Posture of the Moolavar

The majestic 10feet Swayambu Moolavar Kalyana Venkatramanaswamy is seen in a West Facing Standing Posture with Mahalakshmi on his chest. There are over 15 specially carved sculptures inside the Sannidhi.

Piece of Rock falls at Thanthoni Malai

When a fight broke out between the Serpent King Adhisesha and the Wind God Vayu as to who was stronger and played a more important role, Lord Vishnu asked Adhisesha to hold on to the Tirumala Hills and Vayu to try and remove the hills from the clutches of the Serpent Lord. In the ensuing fight, one of the pieces of the rock fell at Thanthoni Malai with Perumal providing darshan here as Kalyana Venkatramana Swamy, says hereditary priest Harish Bhattar. Devotees have to climb 36 steps to reach the Sannidhi. As part of modern technology, there is also lift to reach the temple.

6Generations of Hereditary Archaka service

Harish Bhattar learned the Vaikanasa agama from his grandfather and father following which he has been performing service at this temple over the last two decades. He has service for 15 days every month at the Perumal Sannidhi and for the balance 15 days in the month he performs service at the Abaya Pradhana Ranganatha Perumal temple in Karur (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2012/08/abhaya-pradhana-ranganatha-temple-karur.html). There are three other priests who perform service in the other fortnight every month. The madapalli too has traditionalists preparing the sacred food and presenting to Perumal.

He proudly says that his father and grandfather had performed service at this temple during a challenging phase when there were very few devotees but they focused on selfless service at the feet of Kalyana Venkatramana Perumal as a way of life and lived with great contentment. His grandfather had performed archaka service at this temple for over six decades. And he was an inspiration for him to continue this hereditary service.

He says that there has been a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of the temple since the previous consecration in 2014. On each of the Saturdays in Puratasi, the temple sees a devotee crowd of over 5000. This consecration too has found great support from devotee donors.

The temple, located 4kms from Karur on the Dindigul highway, is open from 6am-1pm and 4pm-8pm.